Portable toilets are simple enclosures containing a chemical or holding tank-type toilet. They are typically used at construction sites, outdoor sporting events, fairs, markets, and other temporary or infrequent gatherings and events. Most portable toilets have the typical open-front-U-shaped toilet seat with cover with or without an optional internal urinal system. They are often constructed out of light weight molded plastic.
The present invention is part of the next generation of portable restrooms, designed to counter the problems that arise due to massive attendance at popular outdoor events such as concerts, fairs, and festivals. Large music festivals which generate traffic of up to 80,000 people per half day should provide up to 1,190 portable restroom units. This alone amounts to more than 26,000 square feet that the venue is required to set aside for the restroom area or areas. Often, events are unable to meet these quotas due to rental cost or space restraints, which result in long lines and rapidly degenerating hygienic conditions. Moreover, with long lines, impatience often leads to inappropriate behavior, such as users urinating on the nearby structure or landscaping.
Portable urinal units are brought in sometimes to meet overwhelming public demands at outdoor events. However, often these systems compromise the user's privacy. Also, almost all portable urinal units need their own waste tank, which increases difficulty in cleaning.
U.S. Publication No. 20090235445, published Sep. 24, 2009 to Goldstein teaches an addition of an external urinal to a conventional portable toilet. It however fails to address the issue of privacy. Additional portable screens may be introduced to alleviate the associated problems, but add to installation and break down time and costs.